Just want to get the opinion of those that have an Optima battery.

Usually I replace my battery every 3-4 years to prevent a problem. The temps this week in the northeast are forcasted to be only 15 for the high and I don't want to be stuck with a dead battery.

I've had my Optima Red for 3.5 years. How long should it last?

What's the longest anyone has gotten out of their Optima before it went dead?

 

I've seen them last 10 years on a car that stays in good shape and is regularly driven. If yours is in good shape and holding a charge just fine, then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Unless the battery is showing signs of trouble like slow cranking, I wouldn't worry about it. Most auto repair centers will do a battery/charging system check for about $20-25 if you want to be sure.

 

Thanks. No sign of any problems.

Knowing some have lasted 10 years is reassuring!

 

and according to my buddy that works at ford, they change out optima batterys all the time, due to the gel cells going dry

 

I was changing mine every year due to a parasitic drain I had in my car. I found it and got a fresh battery and have been good ever since. I think if your past the warrenty, I would just ride it out till it dies. I will be replacing mine right before the 3 year is up

-matt

 

I've had mine since 2002. Left the lights on about 3 or 4 times. Jump start, drove around, still going strong. Never had to charge it either. However, coldest weather it's been in is only 35-38ish. So it really hasn't been challenged. It's been in 110 deg vegas traffic, musta been way over 120deg under the hood, and still going.

The battery's supposedly 'sealed'. How does it dry out? Or does it run out of electrolytes somehow?

Dr J

 

personally i'd replace it when it goes bad...like you would with any other battery.

and optimas are crap(imo)

 

Fords come with Optimas?!

 

Why do you say they are crap? I've read that they are excellent.

 

In maxima.org forums, it seems like there was a batch of bad optimas after I got mine in 2002. There's a vocal group of naysayers. The rest of us who've had good experience don't feel the need to boast.

Take note of who approved of Optimas in this thread... they are guru's
Matt93SE
Matty

And some would add me into that short list.

I bought mine through CostCo, they tend to carry good stuff that goes through their own QA program before hitting the shelves. Plus they got awesome return policy, if needed. Buy from a reputable distributor, hold onto the receipt. I think you'll be fine.

Dr J

 

no, a bunch of mustang guys put optimas in their cars.

 

I had optima yellow top. They are excellent and i never had problems with it. It
lasted thru 3 cars and got sold with the car. Im looking to get one for present car.

 

their reliability issues which are horrible now that they moved production down to mexico is only one of the reason's i don't like them.

http://forums.maxima.org/6th-generat...ellow-top.html <---that basically sums up why i think they are not worth the $. a generic SLA is cheaper,has more AH and CCAs then a comparable optima and is 1/3 the price.

 

Newest consumer reports, for size 35:

Duralast Gold 35-DLG
EverStart Maxx-35N (North)
DieHard Gold 33035 (North)
EverStart Maxx-35S (South)
Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-35
DieHard Gold 33135 (South)

They didn't test any Optimas tho

 

if you want a good battery buy one of these: http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc2250.htm



now that is what i call a battery

 

The "red tops" in my Maxima tend to last less than 3 years. The one in my car right now is failing, it's fine if I drive the car everyday but let it sit over the weekend and it is dead. Last replaced 11/06, I don't really care since I have not bought a battery for the Maxima since 2000.

 

My first Red top lasted for 3.5 years. Get your's tested to see if it can hold it's charge. Otherwise get a new Red top then that's one less thing you have to worry about.

 

you both had optimas fail at or just after 3 years?

will you buy another one? and if so why?

every generic sealed lead acid i'v had has lasted longer than 3 years...afaik

 

Correction 4.5 years. typo...my bad. I needed batter with dual posts.

 

I've had mine since I put the stereo in my last car back in like 2003 I think.

It should be noted that people kill optima's all the time do to the fact that they are Gel cells and not normal batteries. If you charge them with a normal battery charger you will kill the gel and ruin the battery. Optima Yellows (Don't know about the Reds or Blues) need I believe a low voltage or rather a fixed voltage charger. I know a lot of people who have killed their's after one use in a boat by hooking them up to normal chargers.

So maybe that has something to do with the problems.

LMAO

 

Lol the funny thing is all 6 of those batteries are made at the same place, with the same lead, and acid, just different covers.... just a thought!

 

For reals now? Wow.

Shall I post the rest of the article?

 

Johnson Controls make most of the batteries, including Optima.
I had a red top a few years ago. It lasted only a few months and was always giving me trouble. It left me stranded day after day. It would not hold a charge over night. I bought it at a locally owned shop who knows whats what with batteries. When I returned it the owner showed me a huge pile of junk Optimas. He said they fail far more often than a traditional battery. He said you can buy 3 regular batteries for the price of one Optima and they will out last the Optima with a better warranty to boot. I myself cannot recommend an Optima and will never buy another. They may be hit or miss but I don't have any confidence in their product. I have an Alliance battery which is just a generic branded J/C at a really good price.

 

what i'v been saying all along...

J you going to come to another meet at epping this year?

 

You can do that at autozone or advanced auto for free.

Btw optimas have a great reputation but they arent any better than a standard battery unless your mounting them upside down over your head. And yes I've heard and experienced a higher failure rate with them.

That being said I still have a red top in my rx7

 

i hope so

 

I've had a red top since 05 and not once woken up to my car being dead. I once even forgot to turn off the interior light and came out id say bout 8 hours later and the car still turnd on fine.

While i was doing my 00vi swap it stayed inactive in the car for a month i finished the swap n turned on the car as if it was the night before. Guess i got a good one and when mine finally dies ill def go and get another one.

 

Nothing against Optima's but I just can't justify the high cost. In all my yrs driving, (27) I probably have had a total of 6 batteries die on me. I always simply went to Auto Xone or Wal-Mart and got another one. I generally use Duralast or AC Delco like I have now.

 

I'm on my third red top in my '04 G35 - the first two both lasted about a year before they stopped holding a charge. Once the warranty expires and they quit giving me free replacements you better believe I'm buying something that doesn't have the word Optima on it.

 

I've had my yellow top for about 5-6 years now and it was a year old when I bought it.

 

I believe I need to buy a new battery. I tried to take it out to try on a boat yesterday. We didnt hook it up and I went to install it back in the car and it wouldnt turn on. I'm going to take it to autozone and see whats going on later today when I get out of work.

I've been reading the last few hours on batteries, I see good things about optima and then ALOT of ******* on them as well. I always thought they were supposed to be a decent battery. I 've searched and alot of people say dealers have a bunch of them in their storage or experiences that have failed. I also saw that you can't hook up regular battery to an optima battery if the optima fails.

Am I best off, after I go to autozone and diagnose the problem, to just buy a duralast battery or is optima going to be ok?

Again I just have a garmin and an alarm system. No crazy bump in the trunk or anything.

 

I dunno what to say except if you're worried, go for the one with the longest warranty, which should give you the least hassle. With that, don't bother with Optimas, they have short warranties.

You know, for all the "Paralysis By Analysis" you've been having, you should listen to Russell Peters and "Be A Man" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qtrAMK7_Qk

Dr J

 

go with the duralast 35 dlg, great battery with a great warranty, cracnking amps are rated high as well.

i used to have an optima battery and i left my lights on in the car for 2 hours came back and battery was completely dead. i than put back my 35 dlg batery and on time at work i left my lights on for an 8 hour work day and the car started properly no trouble with the duralast battery. weaher conditon were the same for both times i left my headlights on.

 

Ive had many optimas a blue, red, and yellow. It is true that optimas require low amperage charge for long duration. Take it to an interstate dealer and get it charged for 5 bux. It takes 48 hours to charge from full discharge, (drained my blue top). On contrary it takes 6 hours to fully charge a wet cell. Also if you discharge your optima past 10 volts, its pointless to jump start it. Just take it to interstate or follow charging procedure at the websites documentation. As long as you treat an optima right, it will never leave you stranded. Had a red top since 2004 and its been in 3 cars. Alternator died and was able to drive 50 miles and still had juice to start after replacing the alt. Had a yellow top but body shop killed it and charged it wrong and it died. Currently have a blue top in my i30 and it works great. Red top from 04 in my bros car. Red top is typical gel cell. Yellow and blue is deep cycle for heavier accessory load and has much longer reserve. Yellow meant for automotive/commercial and blue meant for marine.

 

I had originally started this thread in the winter. Just to give some follow up, my red top, now 4 years old, did make it through the winter (and it was a cold one) with no problems!

 

HAHA, that's because there is something wrong with your car and its draining the battery. My 65 Mustang sat for a year and it cranked like it was a new battery.

 

I have Still the original OEM NISSAN Battery, in my Nissan Maxima GXE,

I have currently 84K, Miles on the car, the Car is GREAT and no issues, Perfect Car, Low miles for the Year. Currently the battery is giving me a slow cranking for the past 6 months. BUT Interstate MegTron Plus - MTP-24F, got one in my acura, and I expect to get 10 years out of this Interstat battery,

I have owned in my 1st Car and removed the battery into a 2nd car a DieHard Gold. with sound systems, Never died, the Car was in an accident, battery was still strong.
My 3rd Car after that I had an interstate, purchased back in 1997 an Interstate Not sure which model, BUT that interstate lasted me the life of the car, I bought a Honda Prelude with 83K miles on it. drove it for 12 years, 240K miles on it and the Car was sold with that battery still Running strong.

Optimas. overpriced, and reviews are good and bad, so Mixed reviews I would stay away from this product.
Same goes with the Diehards lately , many mixed reviews, good and bad.

Interstate I have had 2 batteries and I was not a fan of them, but they will not die. I am a believer. If you want a Great battery that won't let you down, in the coldest of winters and Hot temps during summer, Get the Best rated Interstate,

Good luck everyone....

 

Even if the price of the Optima is higher, it is worth it. It is a sealed battery as well and comes with a 3 year warranty on it.

Btw thanks for bumping such an old thread newbie....

 

Looks like someone bumped my thread from 2009...Well, may as well give an update--the red top is still going strong now after almost 6.5 years. Lets see how it does this winter!